Registration apparatus and method, as for voting

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and method for registration comprises a computer and a server in communication via a network, an intranet and/or the Internet, means for entry of data into the computer, and a signature or biometric digitizer including coupling software for directly entering digitized signature or biometric data electronically into the computer. The data and digitized signature or biometric data are communicated to the server. The registration apparatus and method may be utilized for voter or other registration and/or another transaction.

This Application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/127,793 filed Apr. 22, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,045, andclaims the benefit of the priority of: U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 60/309,639 filed Aug. 2, 2001, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.60/310,281 filed Aug. 6, 2001, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.60/317,101 filed Sep. 4, 2001. U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.60/323,514 filed Sep. 19, 2001, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.60/326,265 filed Oct. 1, 2001, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.60/341,633 filed Dec. 19, 2001, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.60/351,266 filed Jan. 23, 2002, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.60/352,901 filed Jan. 30, 2002, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.60/359,558 filed Feb. 22, 2002, and U-S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 60/366,061 filed Mar. 19, 2002.

The present invention relates to registration and, in particular, to anapparatus and method therefor.

Registration, for example, of citizens to vote in elections hastraditionally been accomplished by the voter appearing before anappropriate official, such as a government official, at the appropriateregistration place, such as a government office, providingidentification and evidence of eligibility to register, to vote, and thefilling out of a paper registration application and/or other form. Withrespect to voting, for example, recent interest in encouraging eligiblecitizens to register and vote has produced mail-in registration forms,such as the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), as well as a desirefor registration by computer via the Internet.

Inherent in all such arrangements is the need for appropriate securityand verification. Firstly, there is the need to verify the informationand identity of the person seeking to register to vote. Later, a voterusually must produce identification and provide a signature forcomparison to the registration record by election officials at thepolling place before being permitted to vote in an election. With theprospect of computerized registration, and particularly computerizedregistration via the Internet, there arises the possibility of hackers,attackers and other ill-intended people registering falsely and/or morethan once. e.g., as the same person in plural voting districts orregistering with plural identities in one or more voting distracts.

A further burden for election officials beyond the processing of newregistrations arises due to changes in registration information forexisting registered voters. In particular, voters move their residencesboth within an election district and from one district to another, getmarried and divorced and so change their names. In addition to the costand the burden to election staff of processing each such changeindividually year after year is the added burden caused by the fact thatmany of such changes are reported to the election officials only a shorttime before an election. In any election, the workload of electionofficials is further increased by the need to handle and count absenteeballots and to handle, verify and count provisional ballots (i.e. wherea person's entitlement to vote is in question, but the person ispermitted to vote “provisionally” subject to verification of theperson's right to vote after the election and before the election resultis finalized and certified.

Accordingly, there is a need for a voting registration apparatus andmethod that can be utilized to alleviate at least some of the workloadof and/or burden on election officials arising from any one or more ofthe foregoing problems. It would further be desirable if such apparatusand method is capable of permitting access to registration informationand the updating of registration information substantially in “realtime.”

To this end, the apparatus and method of the present invention comprisesa computer and a server in communication via a network, an intranetand/or the Internet, means for entry of data into the computer, and asignature or biometric digitizer including coupling software fordirectly entering digitized signature or biometric data electronicallyinto the computer. The data and digitized signature or biometric datamay be communicated to the server.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention will be more easily and better understood when read inconjunction with the FIGURES of the Drawing which include:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram representation of a voter registrationsystem;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram representation of a voter registrationsystem including communication with users via the Internet and/or anIntranet;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of an example voting registrationapparatus utilizing a digitized signature and for verifying same inrelation to a voting transaction;

FIG. 4 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a registration andvoting method employing digitized signatures;

FIG. 5 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method for generatinga digitized signature and for verifying same in relation to votingregistration;

FIG. 6 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method for registeringusing a digitized signature and for verifying same in relation to avoting transaction;

FIG. 7 is a representation of an example voting arrangement useful withthe voting registration apparatus of FIGS. 1–3;

FIGS. 8A through 8D illustrate examples of screen displays useful withthe apparatus and method described;

FIG. 9 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating an example of averification for use with the method of FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7;

FIG. 10 is a high-level schematic flow diagram illustrating an exampleof the registration method of FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9;

In the Drawing, where an element or feature is shown in more than onedrawing figure, the same alphanumeric designation may be used todesignate such element or feature in each figure, and where a closelyrelated or modified element is shown in a figure, the samealphanumerical designation primed may be used to designate the modifiedelement or feature. It is noted that, according to common practice, thevarious features of the drawing are not to scale, and the dimensions ofthe various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Registration of voters is a prerequisite to conducting a properlyorganized election and so is performed in advance with appropriateverification of a prospective voter's eligibility to vote and hisidentity, all as typically prescribed by the applicable election lawsand/or regulations. The information collected from each voter, includingan identifying signature, must be recorded, stored and retrieved asneeded to the conducting of an election. This presents a greatadministrative burden on election officials, not only in initiallyregistering persons to vote, but also in maintaining voter registrationinformation as voters move their residence into, out of and within anygiven voting jurisdiction, die, change their name, declare and/or changepolitical party affiliation, and the like. In practice, manyregistrations and changes thereto tend to occur shortly before anelection, thereby increasing the burden on election officials.

In the United States, the Election Reform Task Force Recommendations ofthe National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) have identifiedthree levels of functionality desirable for statewide voter registrationand Ai Technology, Inc. of Princeton Junction, N.J., has identified twoadditional levels, as follows

-   -   Level 1—States should develop a statewide, electronic        registration database (NCSL Recommendation 3.1),    -   Level 2—Registration databases should be constantly maintained        (NCSL Recommendation 3.2),    -   Level 3—Registration databases should be easily accessible from        all polling places (NCSL Recommendation 3.3),    -   Level 4—Voters should be able to sign-in with a digitized        signature on an electronic voter roll at all polling places, and    -   Level 5—Voter signatures should be authenticated with signatures        in the registration database at all polling places on the day of        election in real time and with a fail-safe backup system.        Apparatus and method is described herein that can provide any        one or more or all of the these five levels of functionality, as        desired. In addition, the apparatus and method described        provides for automated authentication of digitized signatures so        that the need for skill and expertise on the part of election        workers at the polling places is at least greatly reduced, if        not removed. A fail-safe backup may be provided by any one or        more of off-site storage of duplicative files and/or by storing        applicable files on CD-ROMs or other portable media that may be        sent or taken to various election sites, such as government        offices and/or polling places.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram representation of a voter registrationsystem 10 wherein a plurality of regional or county level computers 20including respective regional or county level databases of voter andregistration information are in communication with a central or statecomputer 30 and database of voter and registration information. Each ofthe regional or county level computers and databases includes anassociated identity verifying arrangement, preferably a biometriccharacteristic of a user/voter/putative voter, such as a digitizedsignature capturing device 40, e.g., a signature pad. Digitizedsignature information is captured and processed via signature pads 40 inassociation with the regional/county level computer 20 and/or anothercomputer 50, such as a portable or laptop computer located remotely fromthe regional/county computer 20 and the central or state computer 30. Anexample of a remotely located computer includes one or more computers 50and associated signature pads 40 located in local libraries, schools,motor vehicle offices, town and municipal offices, banks, and the like.

Communication between and among regional or county level computers 20,central or state computer 30, and/or remote and other computers 50, maybe via or include an Ethernet, a local area network (LAN), a wide areanetwork (WAN), the Internet, radio communication, telephone or otherwire, cable and/or optical fiber, optical communication, or any othernetwork and/or communication means.

When a person registers to vote using the system described herein, thesame questions that are presented on a conventional paper registrationform (e.g., name, address (present, previous, mailing, and/or business),citizenship and residence, birth date and place, driver's licensenumber, telephone number, e-mail address, political party affiliation,applicable certifications regarding truthfulness, residency, age andprisoner or parole status, and so forth) are presented to theprospective voter on the display of the computer being used, e.g., as atemplate. The display format or template utilized may be peculiar to theon-line registration system described, may be made to be similar oridentical to that of the conventional paper form, and/or may be made tobe similar or identical to that of the Federal Post Card Application forrequesting voter registration and/or absentee ballot from a localelection office or official, as may be required by law or convenient.

It is noted that the, afore-described arrangement is compliant with theapplicable local law. For example, where local law requires an originalink signature of the voter, such is obtained by a printer (not shown)associated with one or more of computer 20, 30 and/or 40 that prints aregistration form (template) containing all of the information providedby the person seeking to register to vote so that the person can applyhis original ink signature thereto and then transmit the originalregistration form to the appropriate election official via mail or othersuitable means. Thus, all legal requirements are satisfied. Even thougha paper form is generated to satisfy the legal requirements, theelection officials still obtain the benefit of having the required voterinformation entered by the person registering to vote as well as anidentifying biometric characteristic of that person, e.g., a digitizedsignature. Thus, the labor-saving, cost-saving benefit to the electionofficials may be realized because they do not have to transcribe and/orenter such information themselves, and/or to scan or otherwise enter thebiometric information of the person registering.

If an individual objects to providing a digitized signature forregistration, the individual may register by ink signature on theregistration form printed as described above, and may later vote by inksignature. Even in this case, the labor and cost saving benefit of thepresent system and method to the election officials may still berealized, because the information provided by the person registering tovote is already in the voter registration and need not be entered orre-entered by election personnel.

It is noted that any biometric characteristic may be employed in thedescribed arrangement, e.g., biometric data may include any one or moreof a digitized signature, a digitized photo, a facial image, one or morefingerprints, one or more palm prints, hand geometry, facial geometry, aface print, an eye print, a retinal scan, and/or an iris scan. Ingeneral, however, a digitized signature is a preferred biometriccharacteristic. In particular, a preferred digitized signature is adigitized signature that includes one or more biometric characteristicsof the signer (i.e. a digitized biometric signature), such as alocus-based digitized signature which is described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/127,793 entitled “GENERATION AND VERIFICATION OFA DIGITIZED SIGNATURE” filed Apr. 22, 2002, by Kevin Kwong-Tai Chung etal, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. While thearrangement herein is usually described in terms of a locus-baseddigitized signature, it is understood that any digitized signature orany other suitable biometric characteristic, may be utilized.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram representation of a voter registrationsystem 10 including communication with users via the Internet and/or anIntranet. A central computer arrangement 30 includes one or moredatabase servers 32 coupled to one or more storage devices 34.Typically, one of the storage devices 34′ is located at a differentlocation than is the main or primary storage device 34, so as to providedata backup and protection against such dangers as fire, earthquake,storm, terror attack, and the like. Typically, an Intranet user'scomputer 80 communicates with the central computer 30 via a local huband/or router 82 and one or more application and/or web servers 84. SuchIntranet may be or include a local hub, a router, an Ethernet, a localarea network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or any other network.

Typically, such Intranet user is an official or employee of the electionagency that processes voter data, registration data, and changesthereto, and there may be many such users utilizing the system 10 via anIntranet. Alternatively and optionally, some or all of Intranet usercomputers 80 may have a signature capture device and/or a local printer(not shown) associated therewith and may be in a government office orother location for use by persons to register to vote. In addition, suchusers may include other government agencies that may have informationpertinent to registration and/or voting, such as judicial agencies andcorrections agencies that may have or need information pertaining tocriminal convictions and/or incarcerations that affect a person's rightto vote, health departments and bureaus of vital statistics that mayhave birth and death information, motor vehicle agencies that may havechange of address information, police and investigative agencies thatmay need information.

An Internet user computer 60 communicates via a router 62, a loadbalancing server 63, one or more web servers 66 and one or moreapplication and database servers 68. Internet user computers 60preferably have a signature capture device and/or a local printer (notshown) associated therewith and may be in a home, office, library,school, government office, motor vehicle office, a public building, abank, and/or a commercial facility or other location for use by personsto register. A separate storage device 69 is provided for accumulatinginformation provided via the Internet by Internet users from computers60, and such storage device 69 may be regional (e.g., county level) orcentral (state level). Application and database servers 68 communicatewith central computer 30 via bridge 70 and may exchange informationbetween storage devices 34 and 69. Typically, such Internet user may beeither a person seeking to register to vote or to change hisregistration information, and/or an official or employee of the electionagency that processes voter data, registration data, and changesthereto, and there may be many such users utilizing the system 10 viathe Internet.

Because the system described preferably includes access via the Internetor another network or communication medium, properly authorized userssuch as election officials, poll workers and the like, may haveessentially immediate access to voting registration and voting recordsat any time authorized. Thus, election officials, both in electionoffices and at each polling place, may have “real time,” i.e.essentially immediate, access to the current voting registration recordsin a regional and/or central voter database on election day, i.e. duringthe election. This feature can reduce the need for provisional votingwhich is burdensome to election officials at the polling places and alsocauses problems and delays in tabulating the vote and in certifying theelection result. Alternatively, all or part of the voting database maybe loaded onto individual computers, either via the Internet or othernetwork or via floppy disk, CD-ROM or other medium, for use at aregistration site and/or polling place.

In addition, according to the system and method described herein, aprospective voter may register to vote at any convenient time and place,a registered voter may update, change or otherwise correct his votinginformation at any convenient time and place, and where remote voting isauthorized, a voter may vote at any convenient place during the timeduring which voting is authorized. This offers the possible benefit,were it to be authorized by law, to have elections not confined toparticular hours on a particular day and/or to particular pollingplaces, thereby greatly reducing provisional and/or absentee voting,and/or to eliminate the condition where voters in national or regionalelections who live in relatively western jurisdictions can learn ofelection results from relatively eastern jurisdictions where the pollsclose at an earlier time due to time zone differences.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of an example voting registrationapparatus 600 utilizing a digitized signature and for verifying same inrelation to a voting transaction. Example voting registration apparatus600 is illustrated as including a central computer or server 610 inwhich resides a database in which digitized signature records includinglocus-based digitized signature data are stored and preferably areindexed. Central server 610 is in communication (represented bydouble-ended arrows) with one or more (typically a plurality of) localcomputers or servers 620, typically located at sites remote from centralserver 610. Each of the local or distributed computers and servers 620may optionally include a database in which digitized signature recordsincluding locus-based digitized signature data is stored, such as asubset of the records of the database of central server 610.

Each of the local or distributed computers and servers 620 is in turn incommunication with one or more (typically a plurality of) computers 630,such as personal computers and/or laptop computers, typically located atsites remote from local server 620 and/or at least apart therefrom atthe same site. A signature capture device SD 365, such as a signaturepad, a PDA and the like, is typically associated with each of computers630 for the signing of signatures thereon to produce in cooperation withcomputer 630 locus-based digitized signature data.

Computer 630 generates a digitized signature data record, e.g., asdescribed in relation to FIG. 3 of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/127,793 referred to above, utilizing the locus-based digitizedsignature data captured by device SD 365 and computer 630, and transmitsthe digitized signature record to local server 620 which in turncommunicates the digitized signature record to central server 610. Ifthe digitized signature record is new, it may be added to the digitizedsignature database, and if it is a signature relating to a transaction,it may be compared to digitized signature data in such databases forverification and/or authentication. A signature capture device 365 maylikewise be associated with a local computer 620 for producinglocus-based digitized signature records therewith.

Suitable computers may employ any common operating system, such as theMicrosoft Windows operating system, e.g., Windows 2000 with networking,Windows NT, and the like, or a Unix or other operating system, in aconventional client-server arrangement. Servers may utilize a MicrosoftSQL server database system software or Oracle database software, with acompatible operating system, e.g., one of the foregoing operatingsystems.

In the context of voter registration, for example, apparatus 600 may beemployed to register voters and/or to request and/or make changes andadjustments to voter records and information at any of the locationswhere one of computers 610, 620, 630 and an associated signature deviceSD 365 is located. Additionally and/or alternatively, computers 620and/or 630 may be voting machines or may run voting machine software soas to permit voting from such locations. In the voting context,locus-based digitized signature capture and authentication may beutilized for verification of the identity of voters and of their beingproperly registered to vote, as well as for assisting in the detectionof persons attempting to vote more than once or in the place of aregistered voter, either locally or anywhere in the jurisdictionsincluded in the databases in local (e.g., county) computers 620 and/orin the central (e.g., state) computer 610.

In voting and/or vote registration, a printer LP 640 may be associatedwith any one ore more of computers 630, 620 and/or 610 for printing arecord of information and/or a transaction conducted on such computer.If required by law that registration applications and/or changes tovoter information be recorded on a paper document or other tangiblerecord, printer 640 prints such document or record, such as a voterregistration form or a provisional or absentee ballot, which can then besigned with an original ink signature to meet the legal requirement, inaddition to the electronic record including a locus-based digitizedsignature. If a particular voter does not want to use a digitizedsignature for registration or another transaction, then the document orrecord provided by printer 640 may be signed with an original inksignature without the electronic record being signed with a digitizedsignature. In either case, the signed paper document or other record maybe submitted at the location or by mail, as appropriate.

Communication (represented by double-ended arrows) among various ones ofcomputers 610, 620, 630 may be via any convenient communication link,including but not limited to, wire and cable, telephone system, opticalfiber, optical transmission, radio or other RF transmission, network,LAN, WAN, an Intranet, the Internet, and the like. Each registrationlocation and/or polling place thus has essentially direct and immediateaccess to the digitized signature and other records stored in databasesat higher jurisdictions, e.g., voter registration databases at countyand state levels.

Where such access is via the Internet and/or world wide web, the onlycommunication facility needed at any location is a conventionaltelephone line to connect to the modem of computers 620 and/or 630. Thuscomputers 630 may be computers resident at or laptop computerstransported to any desired location, such as libraries, schools, vehicleregistration and/or inspection sites, police stations, municipalfacilities, government offices, military bases, shopping centers, or anyother location where it is desired to register voters and/or conductvoting. Where a computer 630 is already in place at a location, e.g., asis common for a library, and lacks a signature device 365, only asignature device SD 365 need be transported to conduct registrationand/or voting at such location. Alternatively, a user could check out orborrow a signature pad from a library and/or government office forregistering from any computer having Internet access, e.g., at a home orat a work place.

In certain applications it is relatively easy to quickly retrieve thereference or standard digitized signature from a digitized signaturedatabase because the person enters his name or an identifying numberunder which he has registered, thereby identifying himself relative tohis standard signature. In other applications, however, it may bedesired to compare digitized signatures without knowing the identity ofthe signer, as may be the case, for example, for the system and methoddescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/127,787 entitled“VOTING FRAUD DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD” filed by Kevin Kwong-TaiChung on Apr. 22, 2002, which is hereby incorporated herein by referencein its entirety. The number of comparisons required before the desiredstandard digitized signature data is identified and retrieved can become quite large and require substantial time, particularly where thenumber of records in the database is large. For example, voter databasescould have many millions of digitized signature data records therein.

In such instances, finding the standard or reference digitized signatureand/or identifying the person signing a signature is facilitated byindexing of the digitized signature data records. Indexing the digitizedsignature data records is typically based upon the characteristics ofthe digitized signature. For indexing numerical values, one convenientindexing arrangement includes dividing a range of values that may form acontinuum into a number of bands or quantization levels. Typically, thebands or levels are non-overlapping and divide the continuum in to amanageable and/or convenient number of groups or bands, e.g., a valuethat may range between zero and ten may be quantized into bands of 0–1,1–2, 2–3, and so forth, or may simply be rounded to the nearest integervalue. Characteristics useful for providing an index or catalog include,for example:

-   -   The number of strokes and dots in the signature (dots are        strokes where the starting and ending points are the same or so        close together as to essentially be a point, such as in the        letters “i” and “j” or in a punctuation “period”).    -   The relative lengths of the strokes taken in sequence. E.g., the        length can be categorized to the nearest integer number of        centimeters (for indexing, n cm ±0.5 cm =n cm, where “n” is an        integer), and dots are less than 0.1 cm.    -   The number of closed loops in each stroke. E.g., closed loops        may occur in script letters such as “b”, “e”, “l” “o” and so        forth.    -   The relative ratio of the length of the signature to its height.        E.g., the ratio X/Y rounded to the nearest integer (1±0.5 =1,        2±0.5 =2, . . . ).    -   The total normalized length of the signature, i.e. the        cumulative length of all the stokes of the signature. This may        also be categorized to the nearest integer number of        centimeters.    -   The relative speed of completing the signature, i.e. the total        time the signer takes to sign his signature from initial        touching of the stylus to the signature pad to the final lifting        of the stylus. Time may be categorized, for example, to the        nearest whole second or two seconds.    -   Other characteristics of the signature, such as the derived        values of tangents of one or more specific segments (e.g., a        midpoints of closed loops), the instantaneous speed of one or        more specific segments (e.g., midpoints of a stroke,        instantaneous acceleration at a specific segment, and the like.        For those indexing characteristics relating to size, the        dimension preferred for indexing is that after the signature is        normalized for size and tilt. It is also desirable that the        sizes of the categories or quantization not be too fine so as to        allow for reasonable and typical variations and fluctuations in        a person's signature, especially for the effects of signing        position, comfort, pen weight and size and the like. In general,        increasing the number of signature characteristics characterized        by the index value will tend to shorten the time required to        search a database and retrieve the digitized signatures therein        having matching index values. This generally obtains because the        number of records in each subset corresponding to a particular        index value decreases as the number of characteristics indexed        increases, i.e. there are a larger number of subsets each        including a smaller number of digitized signature records.

It is noted that plural signatures may be retrieved from the digitizedsignature data base based upon the index value and those signatures maythen be compared to the transaction digitized signature forauthentication and, if desired, additional information and/oridentification may be requested to eliminate any ambiguity and identifya specific person.

Where each category of each indexed characteristic is represented by analphanumeric character, then the index value for the digitized signatureis simply the string of applicable alphanumeric characters in apredetermined order of the indexed characteristics. Matching thetransaction digitized signature to the digitized signature records inthe data involves determining the index value for the transactiondigitized signature and retrieving the digitized signature recordshaving index values that match the index value of the transactiondigitized signature.

It is noted that a further advantage of the described digitizedsignature record requiring 100–300 bytes, as compared to a conventionaldigital signature file of 2–3kilobytes, is that the time required totransmit the digitized signature record is similarly dramaticallysmaller. Where many digitized signature records are retrieved over acommunication link via a typical 56-kilobyte per second modem, thedifference in the size of the signature record may make the differencebetween the time needed to process a transaction being satisfactory andunsatisfactory. At the server, many more queries can be received andresponded to in any given time and with a particular serverconfiguration where the record size is typically 300 bytes as comparedto 3000 bytes, and up to 30–60kilobytes for color image or graphicfiles.

FIG. 4 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a registration andvoting method 700 employing digitized signatures. Voting process 700starts 702 with a voter being previously registered to vote with eithera conventional graphic or image-based digitized signature 704 a or witha locus-based digitized signature 704 b, although another biometriccharacteristic may be utilized. On the day(s) of the election, a votersigns in to vote 710 at a polling place by providing a signature that iscaptured as a locus-based digitized signature as described herein. Suchlocus-based digitized signature is sometimes referred to as a “signaturedynamics” signature and/or a D-SIGN™ signature (a trademark of AITechnology, Inc.), and is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/127,793 referred to above. Process 700 thereafter may take one ofseveral paths depending upon the previous registration arrangement andthe current registration and/or voting arrangement.

Where the previous voting arrangement utilizes graphic or image-baseddigitized signatures, the locus-based digitized signature is stored andreplaces 712 the graphic signature in the database of active voters andthe graphic digitized signature is stored or archived 714 to an archivedatabase. Thus, the graphical signature based voter registrationdatabase is gradually replaced or converted to a locus-based digitizedsignature database as each voter votes. Optionally, the voter'sidentification may be verified 716 by conventional means and the voteris allowed to vote 730. The foregoing builds a voter database oflocus-based digitized signature records as each voter votes and so issuitable for conversion from a database of conventional graphicsignatures to a database of locus-based digitized signature records.Optionally, where the database of graphic signatures has such signaturesstored as color or “gray-scale-rich” graphical images, e.g., in TIFF or.BMP bitmap formats, which require about 20–80 kilobytes of memory each,conversion 706 thereof to a “monochrome” representation which may reducethe size of the record to about 2–8 kilobytes at any time prior toarchiving 712 will substantially reduce the storage capacity of thehardware and/or storage media required for storing such records.

Where the previous voting arrangement does not utilize digitizedsignatures, the locus-based digitized signature is captured and stored712 in the database of active voters as each voter next votes and thegraphic digitized signature is archived 714 to an archive database.Thus, the conventional voter registration database is gradually replacedor converted to a locus-based digitized signature database as each votervotes, or at least a locus-based digitized signature database isdeveloped in parallel.

For preservation of historical records and/or for control of informationand election office work, it is sometimes preferred to maintain voterinformation in plural databases, such as a current or active voterdatabase, an archive database, and an optional pending registrationdatabase. Preferably, at least the active voter database and theregistration-pending database are “web-enabled” in that they may beaccessed and utilized from a computer having a standard web browser,such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape and the like. Any one ormore or all of these databases may additionally be stored in a secure oroff-site electronic storage device (e.g., separate servers and/or CD-ROMand/or other device or medium) and/or off-site physical storagelocation, as dated copies and/or as actively updated mirror files.

The current or active voter database can be utilized to providemonitoring and control of the election process, e.g., for polling books,registration verification, voter cards, voter identifiers, absenteeballots, voter removal, and the like, for use essentially in real-timeduring an election, such as via a telephone or Internet connection. Thearchive database may include older or outdated and/or replacedinformation such as previous signature or biometric data, changes ofaddress or name and the like, suspensions of right to vote, and/or otherhistorical voting data such as of the registration and voting history ofindividual voters and/or of various voting jurisdictions and/orelections. The optional pending registration database includesregistration information provided by prospective voters that has not yetbeen reviewed and approved by voting officials which, upon approval, istransferred to the active database. In addition, computers and/orservers of other agencies, such as motor vehicle departments, healthdepartments, the judiciary, law enforcement and the like, maycommunicate with the computers and/or servers with any one or more ofthe foregoing databases for purposes of facilitating and/or enhancingsuch functions as registration of voters from the locations of suchagencies, and for non-election functions such as updating records forreported deaths, selection of jurors, finding missing persons, tax andlaw enforcement, and the like.

Where the previous voting arrangement utilizes locus-based digitizedsignatures, the locus-based digitized signature captured as each votersigns in to vote is utilized for verifying 720 the voter's identity andregistration to vote by comparing the then captured locus-baseddigitized signature and the locus-based digitized signature stored inthe database of active voters. Upon positive verification 722P, i.e. thecomparison of the transaction digitized signature captured at thepolling place is authenticated against the standard digitized signatureretrieved from the database of active voters, the voter is allowed tovote 730. In the case of negative verification, i.e. the comparison ofthe transaction digitized signature captured at the polling place is notauthenticated against the standard digitized signature retrieved fromthe database of active voters, the voter is not allowed to vote 730, butmay be allowed to vote provisionally 732 and additional identificationmay optionally be required 734.

In any of the foregoing cases, it is preferred that the digitizedsignature captured 710 from the present voter at sign in be compared orcorrelated 740 to the digitized signatures of all voters who havepreviously signed in to vote in the same election. If comparison 740produces a negative correlation 742N with the digitized signatures ofall previous voters, then there is no attempt by that voter to vote morethan once and he is allowed to vote 730. If comparison 740 produces apositive correlation 742P with the digitized signatures of all previousvoters, then there may be an attempt by that voter to vote more thanonce and he is not allowed to vote 730, but may optionally be allowed tovote provisionally 734. Optionally, where another biometric in additionto a digitized signature is captured upon voter sign in, such secondarybiometric data may be acquired 736 from the present voter and stored forlater investigation or displayed for immediate comparison with a likebiometric captured earlier when the person whose signature positivelycorrelated with that of the present voter signed in, as described inapplication Ser. No. 10/127,787 referred to above.

In any of the foregoing arrangements it is often desirable to providefeatures enabling physically impaired people, such as the visuallyimpaired, to utilize the registration and voting apparatus and systems10, 600, e.g., with voice assistance, as described herein. Conventionalcomputers, including laptop computers and other portable devices,commonly include a sound generating device, such as a speaker and/or asocket for a headphone or earplug speaker, and many include a microphoneas well. Whether or not any particular computer includes such devices,they are commonly available and easily installed, and are suited for useby impaired people.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method 100 forgenerating a digitized signature and for verifying same, e.g., includingaccess utilizing a remote computer and/or an Internet connection, heredescribed in terms of voting registration. In method 100, a digitizedsignature is generated 110 or “captured” for a particular user, is thentransmitted 120 as digitized signature and other data in a digitizedsignature record or file and stored 124 as a “standard” or “baseline” or“exemplar” signature for that particular user. Thus far, the processcould be characterized as a registration or sign-up of a particularvoter. In practice, typically, many voters would be registered over aperiod of time. Subsequently, the voter may engage in a votingtransaction 130 or plural voting transactions wherein a digitizedsignature for each present voting transaction is verified by comparisonto the standard digitized signature previously stored.

Registration 110 comprises a voter accessing 112 via a computerassociated with a device having signature capturing capability theparticular web site or Internet application. Various devices, bothstationary and mobile, may be employed for capturing a signature,including, but not limited to, touch screen devices, resistive and/orinductive and/or pressure sensitive pads, pocket PCs, Palmtop and otherhand-held devices, personal data assistant (PDA) devices, “Tablet” PCs,and the like. The stylus and/or pen associated with such device may be acommon pen (e.g., an ink-based writing device) or may be a specificdevice intended for use with the particular signature capture device,and may include an ink-based writing capability. In general, many peopleprefer an electronic signature pad that provides at the tip of thestylus or pen an instantaneous visual representation (visual feedback)of what has been written (as does an ink pen), rather than one wherethere is no visual feedback and/or the signature appears on a displayremote from the pen tip.

In accessing 112 the application, a digitized signature capturingsoftware application may be downloaded to the prospective voter'scomputer from the web site via the Internet or an Intranet, e.g., as a“plug in,” if not already present on the user's computer. Theprospective voter then enters 114 his signature and any otherinformation or data required or desired in relation to voterregistration 110. Upon completion of entering 114 data, the prospectivevoter confirms 116 the data and initiates transmission thereof. Inpreparing the data and signature for transmission, the signaturecapturing application encodes 118 the signature and any other data to betransmitted and protects it with a relational check code 118 asdescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/127,793 referred toabove and in PCT International Publication Number WO 02/31629 A2entitled “TRACKING SYSTEM AND METHOD EMPLOYING PLURAL SMART TAGS”published 18 Apr. 2002, which is hereby incorporated herein by referencein its entirety. Such information, data and signature may be entered ona “document” presented visually on the display of the prospectivevoter's computer, and the entire document, as well as the signature anddata, may be digitized and protected 118 by the relational check code.

Registration 110 may include applying to register to vote, to vote byabsentee ballot, to update or otherwise change voter registrationinformation, or any other form of voting or other governmenttransaction. Where digitized signature is utilized in conjunction withvoting registration associated with a smart card, the digitizedsignature and/or other voting information may be stored in the memory ofthe smart card for comparison/verification at a point of use, such as avoting machine, a polling place, a precinct, a registration or electionofficial office, and the like.

Transmission 120 of the digitized signature and data as a digitizedsignature record is typically via the Internet or over an Intranet orother communication link and/or network, typically with a suitable levelof encryption, such as a conventional 128-bit or greater encryptionalgorithm, e.g., the known MD5 128-bit encryption. Encryption mayinclude plural levels of encryption. For example, MD5 128-bit encryptionmay be utilized to encrypt the digitized signature, then MD5 128-bitencryption may be utilized to encrypt the voter registration data andthe previously encrypted digitized signature, and then anInternet/e-commerce 128-bit encryption may be utilized to encrypt theMD5-encrypted voter registration data and digitized signature fortransmission via the Internet.

Date/time data (e.g., to millisecond of time) obtained from the Internetor other server is preferably associated with the digitized signaturerecord and may also be represented in the relational check code. Thedigitized signature data is separated 122 from the date/time data andeach is stored 124 as a “standard” for the particular registered voter.While certain conventional signature verification systems require thatplural samples of a person's signature be captured in order to generatesufficient samples to statistically characterize the signature toaccount for variations present in any single signature, it is notnecessary with the D-SIGN™ system to capture plural samples althoughplural digitized signature samples may be used.

In a voting transaction 130, voting transaction 130 is initiated 132using a voting machine or computer having an associated signature pad,similarly to that for voting registration 110 above. After entering data132 to identify the voter and define the desired voting transaction,part of which data is provided by the voter and part of which data maybe provided by the voting machine and/or computer being utilized forvoting, the voter enters 134 his signature via the signature pad andinitiates transmission 136 of the digitized signature and votingtransaction data to the regional (e.g., county level) and/or central(e.g., state level) computer including the voter registration database,e.g., as described above. The digitized signature and voting transactiondata is generated and transmitted 140 as a data and signature file,similarly to a digitized signature record, with a relational check code.Upon receipt by the regional and/or central computer, the digitizedsignature and date/time data are separated 144 from the other votingtransaction data. In addition, the “standard” digitized signature forthe voter identified in the transmitted voting transaction data isretrieved 142 and the digitized signature data for the particular votingtransaction is compared 146 directly therewith.

If the voting transaction digitized signature and the standard digitizedsignature for the voter match (to within specified criteria, asdescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/127,793), then thevoting transaction is confirmed 148 back to the voter, i.e. voting isauthorized. If the voting transaction digitized signature and thestandard digitized signature for the voter do not match, then the votingtransaction is denied 148 and the voter is so advised. If permitted bythe voting transaction protocol established by the election law andregulations, or appropriate government agency, the voter may bepermitted to make more than one attempt at entering a signature forestablishing a match or his identity may then be confirmed by othermeans, e.g., personal appearance, photo identification, and the like.

It is noted that voter access in method 100, as well as apparatus andsystems 10 and 600, may include features permitting access 113 by peoplewith certain impairments and/or limitations, such as visual impairment,hearing impairment, and the like. For example, impaired voter access 113may include voice or other audible instructions and/or voice/speechrecognition and/or an enlarged visual display, e.g., line by lineenlargement, to assist a sighted voter or enable a visually impairedvoter. Physical features such as a distinct area for signing, raisedand/or textured keys on a standard or Braille keyboard, Brailleinstructions, a Braille readout device, and the like, may also beutilized. Another helpful feature is audible confirmation of dataentered, e.g., read back thereof, and of the method steps, for enablingeasier and timely correction of errors. Any special instructions orrequirements for sighted voters, e.g., that appear on a screen or otherdisplay, may also be assigned to particular keys on a keyboard or givenvoice commands for other voters. Commercial devices and/or software forproviding certain features for access by the impaired are available fromvarious sources.

While the necessary software applications and drivers for providing suchimpaired voter access is easily provided in the client-serverenvironment, such as by pre-installation, such is not necessarily thecase where voting registration and/or voting is conducted via theInternet. In such cases, the necessary voice assistance and voice filesmay be downloaded with the voter registration file download, e.g., asdescribed in relation to FIG. 6. It is noted that standard voice and/orsound synthesis software that is standard to computer operating systems,such as the voice synthesizer included in the Microsoft Windows 2000 andlater operating systems, may also be utilized for assisting utilizationby impaired persons, and may be advantageous where the voice files thatwould otherwise need to be downloaded are relatively large and mightrequire long download times.

Desirable features for conducting voting registration and/or votingtransactions as described include one or more of the following:

-   -   1. The signature or other biometric data and application program        should not accept graphical signature representations or the        like that can be copied, e.g., by cut and paste, from another        source.    -   2. Signature or other biometric data should be captured        substantially in “real time” with a reliable date/time stamp        made part of the signature or other biometric data record along        with the digitized signature or other biometric.    -   3. Devices suitable as signature pads for capturing a signature        should be able to detect the locus and speed of the signature        needed for digitization.    -   4. The signature or other biometric digitizing arrangement        should be in modular form that can be attached to or associated        with web-based and/or web-enabled applications, e.g., as a        software program, that can be downloaded seamlessly (e.g.,        without significant separate action being required on the part        of the voter) when the voter accesses the application, e.g., via        the Internet.    -   5. The digitized signature and other data or document(s)        associated with a voting registration and/or voting transaction        should be protected by a relational check code generated from        the data values of such digitized signature, and preferably also        the data and/or document(s). Preferably, the relational check        code is generated immediately when the voter initiates        transmission of data, and the digitized signature data record        and the data and/or document file may be “wrapped” into a single        file.    -   6. The digitized signature or other biometric and/or other data        should be encrypted when transmitted over the Internet, e.g.,        utilizing 128-bit or greater encryption coding.        It is noted that any one or more of the foregoing advantages        need not be present or produced in an embodiment including        and/or utilizing the invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method 200 forregistering using a digitized signature and for verifying same inrelation to a voting transaction, e.g., an in-person or an Internet orother remote voting transaction. In method 200, a user logs on 210 to aweb-based voting application from his Internet browser and chooses 214the specific voting applications of interest on an electronic signatureenabled web site, i.e. an application and web site that provide forgeneration and/or verification of voting registrations, particularlyutilizing digitized signatures, as described herein. It is noted thatimpaired access features 212 such as sequential display of enlargedinstructions, e.g., line by line enlargement, voice instruction, voiceassistance, voice recognition, tactile and/or Braille input and outputs,aural confirmation of data and/or transaction, and/or appropriatefunction keys adapted for access by the impaired, may be provided.

If the necessary drivers, signature digitization and coding, files,and/or other software is not present on the voter's computer, such maybe downloaded 218 as needed from or with the particulardigitized-signature enabled voting application. Download 218 may beautomatic in that it is initiated by the application without voterintervention or request, or it may require some voter action, e.g.,click on a “download” or “accept” button. The voter may then perform 216the voting operation or voting transaction as appropriate, e.g.,completing registration forms or templates, making changes and/orcorrections, initiating voting, and so forth.

Where impaired access 212 is provided, down-loadable softwareapplications and drivers include, for example, voice-assistance programsand voice files that are downloaded either temporarily or as installed,permanent or embedded programs. Preferably, the voice programs and voicefiles are compressed files so as to reduce transfer time over common,slower communication devices (e.g., 56 kilobyte/second modems).Alternatively, a synthesizer embedded in an operating system or otherapplication may be utilized, and the selection of the synthesizer to beutilized (e.g., that of the operating system or an application programor of a specially downloaded synthesizer program) may be determinedautomatically by the voting registration system and/or votingapplication software.

When the voter has completed entering data and otherwise entered what isrequired for the desired voting transaction, he clicks 220 on the “sign”button or command to begin generation of the digitized signature. If thevoter has not completed the prerequisites to signing, he is reminded toprovide missing data or perform omitted steps. The reminder typically isautomatic in that no voter action is necessary, and may take the form ofhighlighting or otherwise visually distinguishing the data to beprovided or the step(s) to be taken. If and when the voter completes thenecessary data and steps, the signature capture device, e.g., signaturepad, is enabled for the voter to enter his signature by signing 220thereon. The voter then may submit 230 the voting registrationapplication or voting transaction with the digitized signature embeddedin a digitized signature record associated therewith, i.e. the votersubmits a voting transaction request to government or other electionagency, i.e. the proprietor of the web site subject to verification andacceptance thereof. As above, transmission of data is preferablyencrypted with 128-bit or greater encryption.

The web-based voting application on the server of the web siteproprietor (e.g., the server of a election or government or privateentity, and the like), verifies 232 the digitized signature. Verifying232 includes retrieving an original or standard digitized signatureassociated with the voter, i.e. the voter as identified in the votingtransaction request, from its database and comparing that standarddigitized signature to the digitized signature submitted as part of theproposed voting transaction request. Approval 234 of the votingtransaction depends upon verification 232 of the digitized signatures.Verification 232 of the digitized signatures may also include comparingthe digitized signature for each transaction against all other digitizedsignatures in the voter database, e.g., for assisting in detectingattempts to register and/or vote in plural districts or jurisdictions,and/or comparing any other registration information in the database,such as names, addresses, social security numbers, drivers licensenumbers and the like. Plural registration and/or voting may arise fromattempts to vote illegally, or may arise innocently as where a personmoves from one district to another and there seeks to register withouthaving canceled his previous registration.

It is noted that the voting transaction involved may be an initialregistration by a voter, in which case no previously captured “standard”digitized signature is in the voter registration database for thatperson, in which case verification 232 for duplicate registrations basedon voter information without digitized signature may be utilized. In anycase, because the voter registration database preferably is astate-level or even a national-level database, the likelihood ofdetecting plural registrations is greater. In addition, whereverification 232 includes comparing a voter's first name and identifyingnumber (e.g., all or part of a social security number and/or a driver'slicense number), changes in name and/or marital status may also bedetected.

If the digitized signatures match to the established degree of likeness,the voting transaction is approved 240 and is acknowledged 242 bytransmitting to the voter a message so indicating as well as anidentifier unique to the voting transaction, sometimes called a votingsession identifier, confirmation code or confirmation number ortransaction number. The number or code may include a system, serial orsequence number, date/time data, and/or other data either related orunrelated to the voting transaction, as desired and/or required byvoting law and/or regulation.

Closely associated with the approval/acknowledgment steps is theencoding and storing 244 of the digitized signature, date and time data(e.g., to the millisecond) from the Internet server or web site server,and voting transaction data, for creating a file record that may be usedfor verifying the authenticity of the voting transaction. Preferablysuch file record “binds” the voting data into a single record that isencrypted and/or protected by a relational check code as describedabove. At least the digitized signature for the voting transaction andthe Internet transmission date/time data are related and protected by arelational check code to provide a unique signature record (or stamp)for later use for authentication, if needed. Optionally, all or anydesired part of the transaction data may be combined and encryptedand/or protected.

For certain voting applications it may also be desired or necessary tohave a written record of the transaction, as is the case where thetransaction involves voter registration, absentee voting, provisionalvoting, and/or where the applicable law requires a written (ink)signature. In such instances a tangible voting transaction record isprovided 246, such as by a printer either at the voter's computer or atthe web site proprietor, for ink signature by the voter, and possiblywith verification of identity by conventional means such as birthcertificate, driver's license, passport, photo identification, and thelike.

If the signatures do not match to the established degree of likeness,the voting transaction is not approved 250 and such result isacknowledged by transmitting to the voter a message so indicating.Typically, the voter is requested to sign again 252 so that anotherattempt can be made to complete the proposed voting transaction (it isusually desirable that the voting transaction be completed). After apredetermined number of attempts wherein a matching of digitizedsignatures is not successful, the voter may be “locked out” 256 orotherwise prevented from attempting the proposed and/or other votingtransactions, either for a predetermined period of time or permanently,as determined by the election law and/or regulations.

Whether the voting transaction is approved 240 or is not approved 250,an audit trail is generated 254 so that each voting transaction,proposed or completed, can later be investigated, verified or otherwisereviewed. Typically, generating 256 an audit trail keeps track of failedattempts to complete a voting transaction and locks out 256 the voterunder prescribed conditions. It is noted that audit trail tracking ofvoting registration and voting activity may facilitate various electionmonitoring and control functions, e.g., the application for, issuanceof, recording and monitoring of absentee ballots and voting thereby, aswell as voting under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Voting Act,while reducing the likelihood of undetected duplicate voting. When usingthe D-SIGN™ digitized signature verification feature and signaturecomparison feature as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/127,787 referred to above, voter impersonation, forgery, pluralvoting, and other attempts at voting fraud, are highly likely to beautomatically detected.

For Internet or web-based applications, it is desirable that thesignature pads, PDAs and other devices utilized for capturing asignature be transportable and/or mobile, unlike client-server-basedapplications where a signature device is associated with each clientcomputer or where the appropriate software drives is installed on eachclient computer so that a signature device may be utilized therewith.But each computer logging on to a voting web site cannot be expected tohave the necessary software drivers installed. Thus, the signaturedevice should be compatible with the computer and operating systemcommonly utilized in accessing the Internet, as may be provided foroperating with software systems such as Dot-NET available from MicrosoftCorporation of Redmond, Washington, or by an “Active X Control” createdin the Visual C⁺⁺ language for embedding in the web-based applicationand/or system.

Preferably, the driver for the applicable signature digitizing deviceand/or any needed signature digitizing software are made to bedownloaded seamlessly (e.g., without requiring the voter to initiate anaction or to be aware that an action is being taken automatically) tothe voter's computer when the voter accesses the web site votingapplication utilizing digitized signature generation, capturing, and/orauthentication. The driver and/or signature digitizing softwarepreferably does not leave the digitized signature or any signature dataon the web browser or hard drive of the voter or client computer when ause of the voting application is finished, so as to improve security andprevent the copying of a digitized signature, although the device drivermay remain.

As noted above, when a person registers to vote using the system andmethod described herein, the same questions that are presented on aconventional paper registration form are presented to the prospectivevoter on the display of the computer being used, e.g., as a template.For example, the display format utilized may a similar or identical formto that of the conventional paper form, either as a complete “page” oras a sequence of screens presenting questions to elicit the necessaryinformation. For access by the visually impaired, the necessaryinformation must be elicited sequentially by aural (voiced) questions inresponse to which information is provided either via a keyboard or otherphysical data entry device or by spoken response. Typically, the samesegmentation and logical sequence as is utilized for elicitinginformation from non-impaired persons may be utilized for impairedpersons. The voice file containing the segmented sequence may bedownloaded as a single file, e.g., at the commencement of a registrationsession or a voting session, or may be downloaded as a sequence of filesduring a registration session or a voting session, either as modemcapacity is available or on demand. Similarly, the synthesizer and/orvoice recognition files, if downloaded, may be downloaded at thecommencement of or during a registration session or a voting session.

For impaired voter registration and/or voting, a synthesized or recordedvoice presents instructions and question segments to the impaired personvia a speaker or headphone, and the impaired person responds by enteringthe called for response and/or information. After the person completeshis response to each instruction and/or question, e.g., as indicated bya particular keystroke or other response, the information he provided isread back by the voice synthesizer so that the person may confirm itscorrectness and may, if desired, make changes and/or corrections. Wheneach segment is completed, the next segment commences until all segmentshave been completed, and so the person will have successfully registeredand/or voted.

In a basic form for impaired registration and/or voting, the impairedperson responds by entering the called for response and/or informationvia a keyboard. The keyboard may be either a standard keyboard or may beenhanced with Braille features, raised keys, keys having tactilefeatures and the like. One form of special keyboard has the keys locatedat the four corners (or other positions) raised to a higher level thanare the other keys so as to ease their recognition by touch. Theseraised keys may be utilized for providing specific responses to promptsand/or instructions, e.g., acceptance, confirmation of correctness, orfor indicating a desire to repeat and/or change or correct an earlierresponse. After the person completes his response to each instructionand/or question, the information he provided is read back as a sequenceof letters and/or numerals by a basic voice synthesizer, i.e. theentered response is repeated back to the impaired person character bycharacter. Alternatively, the voice synthesizer may recognize andreproduce the information entered by keystrokes as words and/or numbers.

Also alternatively, voice recognition is provided so that the impairedperson may respond by spoken responses, rather than by keystrokes orother manual input. The person speaks into a microphone coupled to thecomputer. This is not only more convenient, but accommodates people whomay not be familiar with a keyboard or Braille, and typically can befaster. The spoken responses may be in words and/or phrases, or theperson may spell his response character by character. Typically, voicerecognition software tends to be more accurate in recognizing individualcharacters spoken by different voices than with words and phrases spokenby different voices. Suitable voice recognition software is availablefrom several commercial providers, e.g., from Microsoft Corporation ofRedmond, Wash., from Dragon Systems of Newton, Mass., and from ScanSoft,Inc., of Peabody, Mass. The voice synthesizer may recognize andreproduce the information responses either as characters (i.e. asletters and numerals) or as words and/or numbers.

In addition, the signature pad or other signature capture device mayhave physical features, such as raised or depressed regions, that defineand/or indicate to a visually impaired person where on the signingsurface of the signature device to sign his signature. Additionallyand/or alternatively, the signature pad may be coupled with thesynthesizer for providing voice prompts to instruct and/or guide theimpaired person to position the pen or stylus on the signature signingarea and in a typical starting point region of the signature device.Where the impaired person is unable to sign a signature on a signaturedevice, the voice recognition software may be utilized to obtain a“voice print” of the person's spoken name, and possibly otherinformation, that can be accepted as identifying biometric informationin place of a digitized signature.

When the impaired person completes the registration and/or votingsession, the information pertaining thereto is submitted to the regionaland/or central computer for processing in the manner described herein.The person may be prompted to take a printed receipt or copy of hisregistration form, and/or to sign same, in the same manner as for anon-impaired person. File and information transfer via a network, theInternet or other communication medium, with encryption, is preferablyas described herein, and/or as described in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/127,793 and in PCT International Publication Number WO 02/31629A2 referred to above.

FIG. 7 is a representation of a voting arrangement 300 useful with thevoting registration apparatus of FIGS. 1–3 for conducting a votingtransaction comprising an election. A voter signs in 310 to vote bysigning his signature in an electronic voting log book, such as bysigning his signature on a touch sensitive screen of a personal digitalassistant device 312 or of a signature pad 316 coupled to a computer314, for example, a laptop or other portable computer, thereby toprovide a digitized signature for the present election (votingtransaction). Optionally, but preferably, the voter's digitizedsignature is authenticated and verified 320 by comparison to a standarddigitized signature contained in a voter registration database that wasobtained from the voter at registration to vote, at changing or updatinghis registration to vote, or at a previous election. Optionally, thevoter's digitized signature is also compared with the digitizedsignatures of all persons who have already voted in the present electionto detect an attempt to vote more than once.

If the voter's digitized signature is authenticated and verified, thenthe voter is approved to vote; if not, the voter is denied to voteand/or may vote provisionally. The approved voter is preferably issued aunique, random and anonymous voter identification number (VID#), alsoreferred to as a voting session identifier, for use in voting in thepresent election where a direct recording electronic (DRE) votingapparatus 330 is utilized. Typically, a new VID# is issued to each voterfor each election. The system and method for registering and/orapproving voters described may be operated in conjunction withelectronic voting equipment 330, and is desirably operated inconjunction with the voting apparatus and method described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 09/737,306 entitled “ELECTRONIC VOTINGAPPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD” filed Dec. 15, 2000 by Kevin Kwong-TaiChung and in published PCT International Publication No. WO 02/070998(PCT/US01/45769) entitled “ELECTRONIC VOTING APPARATUS, SYSTEM ANDMETHOD” filed Nov. 1, 2001 by Kevin Kwong-Tai Chung.

To conduct a voting session, i.e. to vote, the voter enters his votingsession identifier (VID#) typically via a touch screen of apparatus 330.Voting apparatus 330 presents voting screens comprising the ballot ofpositions and questions before the voters and the voter makes hisdesired voting selections. At the conclusion of the voter's votingsession, apparatus 330 stores the voting selections made and the votingsession identifier as a voting record, i.e. it records the ballot“image,” and preferably generates a printed receipt 332 of the votingsession that contains the voting record. Preferably, the printed receipt332 is retained by apparatus 330 after the voter has opportunity toreview it and confirm that receipt 332 accurately records his votingselections.

It is noted that the VID# may include, in addition to the unique, randomand anonymous identifier, characters identifying the voter's politicaland voting jurisdiction (e.g., state, county, municipality, district,precinct, polling place) based on residence, and may also include partyaffiliation, and the like. In such case, the identifying characters maybe utilized for generating a voting ballot for the voter, for example,as described published PCT International Publication No. WO 02/070998(PCT/US01/45769) referred to above. It is further noted that suchidentifying characters may also be utilized (either alone or inconjunction with information in the voter registration database) forassociating voters with a voting district upon initial registration andfor automated redistricting where voters are assigned to particularvoting districts and/or polling places, e.g., on the basis of residence.In such case, district and redistricting information is typically storedin separate administrative and/or redistricting databases (e.g., forproviding an audit trail) and may be further utilized for generatingvoting jurisdiction information (either new or updated) for inclusion ineach voter's VID#. Automated district assignment and redistricting mayutilize an address-based district map, postal codes such as ZIP codes,geographic information system (GIS) mapping, and the like.

At the conclusion of the election, voting apparatus 330 tallies ortabulates the votes cast in all of the voting sessions conducted thereonduring the election, i.e. it tallies or accumulates the votes from allof the individual voting records. The tabulated vote is thencommunicated by apparatus 330 via the Internet and/or othercommunication link 340 to the respective server(s) 345 of local and/orcounty and/or state election offices or centers. Computers/servers 345tabulate and/or accumulate the tallied voting records communicated fromall of the voting apparatus 330 utilized to provide an election result,which tabulation and/or accumulation is then printed in one or morereports of the results of the election.

It is noted that registration of voters may be conducted at the pollingplace and during an election, sometimes referred to as “same-dayregistration,” using the arrangement of FIG. 7. In such case, devices312 and/or 314 and the signature or other biometric characteristiccapture devices associated therewith also function as described, e.g.,for registration computers PC 630 of FIG. 3, and in accordance with themethod of FIGS. 4 and/or 5 and/or 6. Preferably, devices 312 and/or 314are in communication with a central computer for at least preliminarilyverifying eligibility to vote and/or issuing a VID#, and have a printerassociated therewith for printing a voting registration form for inksignature, if required. Typically, a voter registering and voting on thesame day is permitted to vote provisionally so that eligibility to votemay be confirmed or verified before his vote is counted.

It is also noted that sign-in apparatus 312, 314, 316 and votingapparatus 330 need not be located in the voting jurisdiction conductingthe election, but may be at any location from which communication may beestablished with servers/computers 345. Thus, sign-in apparatus 312.314, 316 and voting apparatus 330 may be in another city, another countyor another country, such as in an embassy, consulate, military base orfield location any where in the world. It is further noted thatfail-safe back-up against equipment and/or communication medium failuremay be provided by storing all necessary files and database informationon a portable medium, such as a CD-ROM, with a copy available at eachpolling place and/or election site.

FIGS. 8A through 8D illustrate examples of screen displays useful withthe apparatus and method described. Traditionally, a voter “signs in” tovote on election day and an election official or poll worker comparingthat signature to a signature previously collected from the voter, suchas when the voter registered to vote. The signature may be on aregistration record or voter card, or may be on a printed or electronicreproduction thereof. Such signature comparison is usually required bythe applicable election law. Most election officials and poll workers,however, are not trained or expert in handwriting analysis or signaturecomparison, and so the ability to detect forgeries or to verifysignatures that have changed over time due to aging and/or illness isnot high. Automated comparison of digitized signatures augments the roleof the election official and poll worker, and may also provide a screendisplay for visual comparison by the election official and poll worker.

FIG. 8A illustrates a screen display 350 including two windows 360S and360T wherein are displayed a standard or reference signature and atransaction signature, respectively, such as would be displayed after aperson has accessed a locus-based digitized signature application, suchas in registering to vote, and has signed his signature in connectionwith a voting transaction, e.g., signing in to vote on election day. Thesignature displayed in window 360S represents an image representationderived from a locus-based digitized signature previously captured, suchas in registering to vote, and window 360T represents an imagerepresentation derived from a locus-based digitized signature presentlycaptured on election day and which is to be authenticated by comparisonto the standard locus-based digitized signature. Windows 360S, 360T areidentified by labels 362S, 362T, respectively. Clicking “Compare” button364 initiates the comparison of the standard (registration) and votingtransaction (election day) signatures and enables the signature pad orother device for the next transaction, e.g., alternatively clicking a“Submit” button or a “Process Transaction” button in submitting thevoting transaction for processing. Clicking “Cancel” button 366 deletesthe transaction signature and enables the signature pad or othersignature device for the signer to again sign his signature. Optionally,if neither the “Compare” or the “Cancel” button is activated within apredetermined time, then the process may “time out” to clear or resetthe signature device and processor in preparation for anothertransaction, or may display a prompt for the person to take the nextaction, and allow time for him to do so, before timing out.

FIG. 8B illustrates screen display 350 after “Compare” button 364 hasbeen activated to initiate comparison of the standard locus-baseddigitized signature, e.g., collected at registration, and the votingtransaction locus-based digitized signature in the case where theauthentication process has determined that the two signatures are amatch, i.e. are authentic. An overlay window 370 is displayed toindicate that the result of authentication is a positive match and thatthe voting transaction signature is likely signed by the same person whosigned the standard or registration signature, and so may be permittedto vote. Optionally, the result of the authentication process may bedisplayed, e.g., as a percentage representative of the probability P_(s)determined in the authentication process. An “OK” 372 is provided toremove window 370 and take the user, such as an election official, tothe next screen. It is noted that the standard and transactionsignatures 360S, 360T may be displayed side-by-side as a static displayor may be displayed side-by-side as signed, i.e. as a “movie” of thesignature being signed.

FIG. 8C illustrates screen display 350 after “Compare” button 364 hasbeen activated to initiate comparison of the standard locus-baseddigitized signature, e.g., collected at registration, and the votingtransaction locus-based digitized signature collected from the voter inthe case where the authentication process has determined that the twosignatures are not a match, i.e. are not authentic. An overlay window370A is displayed to indicate that the result of authentication isnegative and that the voting transaction signature is not likely signedby the same person who signed the standard or registration signature.Optionally, the result of the authentication process may be displayed,e.g., as a percentage representative of the probability P_(s) determinedin the authentication process. An “OK” 372 is provided to remove window370A and take the user, such as an election official, to the nextscreen.

FIG. 8D illustrates screen display 350 after “Compare” button 364 hasbeen activated to initiate comparison of the standard locus-baseddigitized signature, e.g., collected at registration, and the votingtransaction locus-based digitized signature in the case where theauthentication process has determined a probability P_(s) that is toolow to indicate that the two signatures are a match and is too high toindicate that the two signatures are not a match, i.e. the votingtransaction signature may or may not be authentic. An overlay window370B is displayed to indicate that the result of authentication is not apositive match and/or that the voting transaction signature may or maynot have been signed by the same person who signed the standard orregistration signature. Optionally, window 370B may direct further,alternative and/or additional steps, such as for attempting toauthenticate the identity of the person seeking to conduct the votingtransaction and/or to complete the voting transaction, such asrequesting that the person show identification (ID). The result of theauthentication process may or may not be displayed, e.g., as apercentage representative of the probability P_(s) determined in theauthentication process. An “OK” button 372 is provided to remove window370B and take the user, such as an election official, to the nextscreen.

FIG. 9 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating an example of averification 400 for use with the method of FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7. Inmethod 400, voter registration information entered by the personregistering to vote is transmitted as an encrypted voter registrationfile 410, e.g., an electronic file of a voter registration applicationform, to the election agency computer. Transmitted file 410 preferablyincludes the registration information (data) 412 provided by the personregistering, a digitized signature 414 signed by the person registering,and a relational check code (encryption code) 416. Preferably, theregistration information and/or data 412 is encrypted as is thedigitized signature 414, and a relational check code (encryption code)416 generated and/or derived from the values of the registrationinformation 412 and digitized signature data 414.

Upon or after receipt, voter registration file 410 is read 420 and theencoded registration information 412 and digitized signature data 414are separated 425 from the relational encryption code 416, and, ifencrypted, are decrypted. The validity of the encoded data 412, 414 isthen compared 430 to determine whether the data 412 and/or 414 is/arevalid relative to encryption code 416. An example of such comparison caninclude generating a relational encryption code 416′ from the value ofencoded data 412 and/or 414 using the same algorithm as was utilized togenerate relational encryption code 416, and then comparing the read420, separated 415 relational encryption code 416 with generatedrelational encryption code 416′.

If comparing 430 indicates a match 430 a, then the read 420, separated425 encoded data 412, 414 is deemed verified and authentic, and may bedisplayed 440 for confirming the data 412, 414 and/or the relationalencryption codes 416, 416′, e.g., by an election official. The voterregistration is then processed 445 and the registration data is stored445, e.g., in one or more databases as described. Storing 445 includesstoring the information provided by the person registering 412, thedigitized signature data 414, and information provided and/or generatedin the processing of the registration application 410, which may or maynot include a voter identification number (VID#) as described.

If comparing 430 does not indicate a match 430 b, then the read 420,separated 425 encoded data 412, 414 is deemed to not be verified and/ornot authentic, and so the registration application 410 is not processedto register the person registering. A warning or alert may be displayed435 to alert an election official for further action. Such furtheraction may include any one or more of displaying the data 412, 414and/or digitized signature 416 for determining the cause of the warning,for seeking additional information and/or proof of identity from theperson registering, and/or for an election official to confirm the data412, 414 and/or the relational encryption codes 416, 416′, and/or forinvestigation. If the discrepancy (cause of non-match) is identified andcleared, the voter registration application 410 may then be processed445 as above to register the person to vote.

FIG. 10 is a high-level schematic flow diagram illustrating an exampleof the registration method of FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9. Method 500 of FIG.10 commences by a person seeking to register logging onto 510 the voterregistration server maintained by the voter registration agency.Typically, the person may log on 510 using a standard desktop, laptop,notebook or other computer having an associated signature pad or othersignature capturing device, whether the signature device is in additionto a standard keyboard or is integrated with a custom keyboard. Suchcomputer may be located in any location from which connection to thevoter registration server may be made via an Intranet, the Internet orany other communication medium.

The voter registration server performs plural steps 521–525 either aloneor in cooperation with the computer utilized by the person registering.At least initially, the voter registration server downloads 521 thenecessary application files and drivers providing same to the computerutilized by the person registering, if such files and drivers are notalready thereon. The person registering completes 514 the electronicvoter registration application as by answering questions thereon and/orfiling-in information requested, e.g., as requested by the votingjurisdiction. The person registering then reviews and signs 518 theelectronic voter registration application using the signature device toprovide a digitized signature. The electronic registration applicationis then submitted and processed 520, 530.

Examples of processing 520, 530 include one or more of acknowledging 522the receipt of the electronic registration application, processing 523the electronic registration application including checking it forcompleteness, initiating and controlling 524 the optional printing 530of the voter registration application and/or a receipt and/or otherconfirmation by a local printer associated with the computer utilized bythe person registering, optionally issuing 525 and/or printing 530 avoter registration number such as a VID# (either on-line or at a latertime), and/or issuing 526 notices and/or messages concerning theregistration application and/or process, and the like.

The registration agency may send 540 a confirmation of the person'sregistration and/or a voter registration card, e.g., by mail so as toconfirm that the address provided by the person registering is correct.The voter registration information provided by the person registeringand any additional information relating to processing the registrationapplication is stored 545 in a voter registration database and all orpart thereof is made available in an electronic voter registrationdatabase for use by election officials conducting an election. Theregistration of the voter is completed when all the necessary steps havebeen performed.

It is understood that the method and apparatus for registering aregistrant, herein described in the example context of registeringvoters and/or maintaining voting registration records, may findapplication and/or be employed in many different voting and othertransactions and environments. Examples thereof include but are notlimited to government and private voter registration, government andprivate voting, whether by direct connection and/or by network, Internetand other network, and any other where it is desired or necessary toverify the identity of a person with appropriately probability. Examplescould also include registration and conduct of labor union elections,union representation elections, corporate elections (such as forshareholder or stockholder voting), corporate governance (such as fordirector voting), professional and/or learned societies and associations(such as the American Medical Association, American Bar Association, andthe like). Examples of other transactions could include medicalenrollment, school and educational enrollment and/or registration,insurance, banking, loan registration (application), and othercommercial, business and government transactions.

Herein, “transaction” generally refers to any of the foregoing and“person” or “user” or “voter” or “registrant” generally refers to anyperson or persons making, engaging in or seeking to register and/orenroll and/or apply and/or to make or engage in a transaction. While anyparticular example or embodiment herein may be described with referenceto a particular context, environment or transaction, e.g., voterregistration and voting, the apparatus and method are not limited tosuch contexts, environments and/or transactions.

It is noted that while the voter identification number and/or therelational check code is/are referred to as “numbers,” each may includenumerical, alphabetic, alpha-numeric and other characters and symbols,conventional or arbitrary, as may be desired. Information is typicallyrepresented and/or stored in a memory in accordance with a predeterminedformula or algorithm or other scheme, either on a character by characterbasis or on the basis of one or more combinations of the characters orvalues, for example, binary, binary coded decimal, hexadecimal, or anyother digital coding representation thereof. Suitable formula andalgorithms therefor include, for example, binary, binary coded decimal,other digital coding representations thereof, parity checks or otherparity representations, sum checks, field relationship checks or anyother predetermined relationship between the stored data or informationand the parity or check number or code.

The present invention can be embodied as a computer implemented processor processes and/or apparatus for performing such computer implementedprocess or processes, and can also be embodied in the form of a tangiblestorage medium containing a computer program or other machine-readableinstructions (herein “computer program”), wherein when the computerprogram is loaded into a computer or other processor (herein “computer”)and/or is executed by the computer, the computer becomes an apparatusfor practicing the invention. Storage media for containing such computerprogram include, for example, floppy disks and diskettes, compact disks(CD)-ROMs (whether or not writeable), DVD digital disks, RAM and ROMmemories, computer hard drives and backup drives, and any other storagemedium readable by a computer. The invention can also be embodied in theform of a computer program, for example, whether stored in a storagemedium or transmitted over a transmission medium such as electricalconductors, fiber optics or other light conductors, or byelectromagnetic radiation, wherein when the computer program is loadedinto a computer and/or is executed by the computer, the computer becomesan apparatus for practicing the invention. The invention may beimplemented on a general purpose microprocessor or on a digitalprocessor specifically configured to practice the invention. When ageneral-purpose microprocessor is employed, the computer program codeconfigures the circuitry of the microprocessor to create specific logiccircuit arrangements.

While the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoingexemplary embodiments, variations within the scope and spirit of thepresent invention as defined by the claims following will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. For example, security for data and informationtransmitted via networks, the Internet and other communication media maybe provided by any one or more of a relational check code or number,public or private key encryption, a 128-bit encryption protocol, or anyother encryption and/or data protection scheme, whether more or lesssecure, whether available presently or in the future.

In addition, where confirmation of the information entered is providedto the person registering and/or voting, final confirmation and/or aprinted receipt and/or registration form may be provided only after theinformation provided has been transmitted to the regional and/or centralcomputer for processing and has been found to be suitable forprocessing. E.g., such acknowledgment may be an indication that the datafile has been received intact and/or may be an indication that the datafile has been opened and found to be valid in accordance with arelational check code or other security criteria. Further, the returnacknowledgment may be a transmission of the data as received by theregional and/or central computer, and may or may not include aconfirmation of matching of the returned data with the data entered asstored on the computer utilized by the person registering and/or voting.

Further, where the voter registration files are downloaded to a computerto be utilized in registering, the files and drivers necessary foroperation of one or more models of signature pad or other signaturecapture device or any other biometric characteristic sensing device, maybe downloaded therewith As a result, for the person seeking to registerneed only to connect the signature device or other biometric capturedevice and need not install the device files and drivers. All that isneeded is the signature device, and the voter registration system andmethod automatically selects the drivers for the then present signaturedevice from the available device drivers and configures for that device.

It is noted that the present system and method allows for registrationfrom any computer that has Internet access, whether located in a home, abusiness, a library, a school, or other public or private location.Additionally, the signature device may be borrowed or checked-out from alibrary, government office, or other location, and may be connected inplace of the mouse device on such computer, whereupon such computer mayaccess the registration web site via the Internet and to download thefiles and drivers necessary to make the system and perform the methoddescribed.

Further, the computer utilized for registration may be continuouslyconnected to the central computer and voter registration database(s)therein or may be periodically connected therewith, either on-line on ademand basis as when a person initiates to register or off-line withperiodic connection for downloading registration data and information.Thus, the computer and signature capture device associated therewith mayinclude a voter database and be utilized essentially as a “stand-alone”apparatus, e.g., for a temporary registration place or for a smallvoting jurisdiction, and such computer may subsequently placed incommunication with a central computer having a registration database.Registration information may include an identification number of thecomputer utilized for registering (and/or of a hard drive, processor,network interface, or other component thereof).

The signature capture device(s) herein may be standard commerciallyavailable devices and/or may be specially marked/labeled and/orelectronically coded for use with the registration system and methodherein. The signature capture device(s) may be utilized in conjunctionwith a standard computer keyboard or may by integrated with a keyboard,e.g., as in a custom package, if and as desired.

1. A method for voter registration comprising: providing a computer anda server in communication via a network, an intranet and/or theInternet, entering voter data into the computer, directly enteringlocus-based digitized voter signature data electronically into thecomputer using a signature digitizer that captures a locus-basedsignature, and not an image of a signature or a scanned signature,generating a relational check code representative of at least thelocus-based signature data; communicating the voter data and locus-baseddigitized voter signature data and relational check code to the server;and storing the voter data, the locus-based digitized signature data andthe relational check code in a registration database on the server. 2.The method of claim 1 wherein said directly entering locus-baseddigitized voter signature data precludes the cut-and-paste entry ofvoter signature data.
 3. The method of claim 1 further comprisinglocating at least the computer and an associated signature digitizer inone of a library, a school, a motor vehicle office, a public building, abank, and/or a commercial facility.
 4. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising comparing registration data including voter data andlocus-based digitized voter signature data communicated to the serverwith registration data previously stored in the server for detectingduplicate registration.
 5. The method of claim 1 further comprisingconverting the locus-based digitized voter signature data to one of JPG,BMP and/or TIFF format and locus-based digitized signature format forcommunication to the server.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprisingencrypting at least one of the voter data and the locus-based digitizedvoter signature data for communication to the server and/or associatinga date-time stamp with at least one of the voter data and thelocus-based digitized voter signature data.
 7. The method of claim 1wherein the computer includes a sound reproducing device, furthercomprising providing prerecorded and/or a synthesized voice instructionsand/or questions via the sound reproduction device.
 8. The method ofclaim 1 wherein said entering voter data comprises entering informationvia one or more of a touch screen, a computer monitor, a keyboard, aBraille keyboard, a keyboard having keys with tactile features and/or amicrophone.
 9. The method of claim 1 further comprising assigning aunique identifier to a registration record for each voter, wherein eachregistration record includes voter data and locus-based digitized votersignature data of one voter.
 10. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising directly downloading software for converting at least one ofvoter data and locus-based digitized voter signature data into one ofJPG format, a coded format, an encrypted format, and a locus-baseddigitized signature format, wherein the software is downloaded from theserver to the computer during registration of a voter when the computeris in communication with the server via a network, an intranet and/orthe Internet.
 11. The method of claim 1 further comprising convertingthe locus-based digitized voter signature data to a data formatproviding a data file of less than one kilobyte for communication to theserver.
 12. The method of claim 1 wherein said directly enteringlocus-based digitized voter signature data includes capturing asignature in a locus-based digitized signature format and/or capturing adigitized biometric signature.
 13. The method of claim 1 wherein saidmethod is employed: (a) for same-day registration and voting, and/or (b)for provisional voting in an election wherein voter data and locus-baseddigitized voter signature data of a provisional ballot voter iselectronically captured.
 14. The method of claim 1 wherein the voterdata and locus-based digitized voter signature data is stored in adatabase on the server, further comprising: conducting an electionwherein a display is located at a voting place; communicating voter dataand/or locus-based digitized voter signature data stored in the databaseon the server on the display at the voting place.
 15. The method ofclaim 14 wherein said communicating voter data and/or locus-baseddigitized voter signature data includes one of: prior to conducting theelection, storing voter data and/or locus-based digitized votersignature data stored in the database on the server in a storage devicethat is coupled to the display at the voting place; and while conductingthe election, coupling voter data and/or locus-based digitized votersignature data stored in the database on the server to the display atthe voting place via a network, an intranet and/or the Internet.
 16. Themethod of claim 14 further comprising comparing locus-based digitizedvoter signature data stored in the database with locus-based digitizedsignature data captured while conducting the election for determiningeligibility to vote, determining eligibility to vote provisionally,conducting voter registration while conducting the election, and/orverifying an identity of a person seeking to vote.
 17. A system forvoter registration comprising: a computer and a server in communicationvia a network, an intranet and/or the Internet, means for entry of voterdata into the computer, a signature digitizer including couplingsoftware for directly entering locus-based digitized voter signaturedata electronically into the computer, and not an image of a signatureor a scanned signature, means for generating a relational check coderepresentative of at least the locus-based signature data; wherein thevoter data and locus-based digitized voter signature data and therelational check code are communicated to the server, and wherein thevoter data, the locus-based digitized signature data and the relationalcheck code are stored in a registration database on the serve.
 18. Thesystem of claim 17 wherein the signature digitizer and coupling softwarepreclude the cut-and-paste entry of voter signature data.
 19. The systemof claim 17 wherein at least the signature digitizer is located in oneof a library, a school, a motor vehicle office, a public building, abank, and/or a commercial facility.
 20. The system of claim 17 whereinregistration data including voter data and locus-based digitized votersignature data communicated to the server is compared with registrationdata previously stored in the server to detect duplicate registration.21. The system of claim 17 wherein the locus-based digitized votersignature data is converted to one of JPG, BMP and/or TIFF format andlocus-based digitized signature format for communication to the server.22. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one of the voter data andthe locus-based digitized voter signature data is encrypted forcommunication to the server.
 23. The system of claim 17 furthercomprising: a database on said server, wherein the voter data andlocus-based digitized voter signature data is stored in the database;and a display located at a voting place during an election, wherein thevoter data and/or locus-based digitized voter signature data stored inthe database on the server is displayed on the display at the votingplace.
 24. The system of claim 23 further comprising a storage devicecoupled to the display at the voting place, wherein voter data and/orlocus-based digitized voter signature data stored in the database on theserver is stored in said storage device prior to the election.
 25. Thesystem of claim 23 further comprising means for communicating voter dataand/or locus-based digitized voter signature data stored in the databaseon the server to the display at the voting place via a network, anintranet and/or the Internet during the election.
 26. The system ofclaim 23 further comprising a signature digitizer for directly enteringlocus-based digitized signature data at the voting place, whereinlocus-based digitized voter signature data stored in the database iscompared with locus-based digitized signature data captured at thevoting place for determining eligibility to vote, determiningeligibility to vote provisionally, conducting voter registration whileconducting the election, and/or verifying an identity of a personseeking to vote.
 27. The system of claim 17 wherein a unique identifieris assigned to a registration record for each voter, wherein eachregistration record includes voter data and locus-based digitized votersignature data of one voter.
 28. The system of claim 17 wherein softwarefor converting at least one of voter data and locus-based digitizedvoter signature data into one of JPG, BMP and/or TIFF format, a codedformat, an encrypted format and a locus-based digitized signature formatis directly downloaded from the server to the computer duringregistration of a voter, wherein the software is downloaded when thecomputer is in communication with the server via an intranet and/or theInternet.
 29. The system of claim 17 wherein the locus-based digitizedvoter signature data is converted to a data format providing a data fileof less than one kilobyte for communication to the server.
 30. Thesystem of claim 17 wherein said coupling software for directly enteringlocus-based digitized voter signature data captures a signature in alocus-based digitized signature format and/or captures a digitizedbiometric signature.
 31. The system of claim 17 wherein said system isemployed: (a) for same-day registration and voting, and/or (b) forprovisional voting in an election wherein voter data and locus-baseddigitized voter signature data of a provisional ballot voter iselectronically captured.
 32. The system of claim 17 wherein said meansfor entry of voter data comprises one or more of a touch screen, acomputer monitor, a keyboard, a Braille keyboard, a keyboard having keyswith tactile features, a microphone, a sound generating device, audibleinstructions, a sound synthesizer, a speech synthesizer, a speaker, aheadphone, and/or an earplug speaker.
 33. Registration apparatuscomprising: a computer having a user interface for displayinginformation and for entering registrant information, said computerincluding a registration database for storing registrant information; abiometric sensing device associated with said computer for capturing adigitized biometric characteristic of a registrant, wherein the captureddigitized biometric characteristic of a registrant and a rational checkcode representative of the captured digitized biometric characteristicare stored in said registration database and are related to registrationinformation for the registrant; said computer further including meansfor communicating at least the registrant information and the captureddigitized biometric characteristic of the registrant and the relationalcheck code in the registration database of said computer to a centralcomputer.
 34. The registration apparatus of claim 33 further comprisinga printer for providing a tangible registration record including atleast the registrant information and the digitized biometriccharacteristic of the registrant stored in the registration database ofsaid computer.
 35. The registration apparatus of claim 33 wherein saidbiometric sensing device captures any one or more of a digitizedsignature, a locus-based digitized signature, a digitized biometricsignature, a digitized photo, a facial image, one or more fingerprints,one or more palm prints, hand geometry, facial geometry, a face print,an eye print, a retinal scan, and/or an iris scan.
 36. The registrationapparatus of claim 33 wherein said biometric sensing device includes oneor more of a touch screen device, a resistive and/or inductive and/orpressure sensitive pad, a computer touch pad, a pocket PC, a Palmtopdevice, and other hand-held devices, a personal data assistant (PDA)device, a Tablet PC, a camera, a digital imager, a fingerprint reader, ahand print reader, an iris scanner, and/or a retina scanner.
 37. Theregistration apparatus of claim 33 wherein said computer includes adriver for said biometric sensing device that is downloaded to saidcomputer via said means for communicating.
 38. The registrationapparatus of claim 33 wherein said means for communicating communicatesthe registrant information and the captured digitized biometriccharacteristic of the registrant stored in the registration database ofsaid computer to a central registration database of the centralcomputer.
 39. The registration apparatus of claim 33 wherein said meansfor communicating communicates with the central computer via a network,an intranet and/or the Internet either before or during an election. 40.The registration apparatus of claim 33 wherein said computer includes acentral registration database that is downloaded from the centralcomputer to said computer via said means for communicating or istransferred to said computer from a portable storage medium.
 41. Theregistration apparatus of claim 40 wherein said computer is located at apolling place during an election, said computer further including meansfor comparing a digitized biometric characteristic of the centralregistration database with the digitized biometric characteristiccaptured by said computer at the polling place for determiningeligibility to vote, determining eligibility to vote provisionally,conducting voter registration while conducting the election, and/orverifying an identity of a person seeking to vote.
 42. The registrationapparatus of claim 40 wherein said computer is located at a pollingplace during an election, wherein the registrant information and/ordigitized biometric characteristic of the registrant from the centralregistration database is displayed on the user interface of saidcomputer at the polling place.
 43. The registration apparatus of claim42 wherein the registrant information and/or digitized biometriccharacteristic of the registrant from the registration database of saidcomputer is displayed on the user interface of said computer at thepolling place.
 44. The registration apparatus of claim 33 wherein saiduser interface includes one or more of a touch screen, a computermonitor, a keyboard, a Braille keyboard, a keyboard having keys withtactile features, a microphone, a sound generating device, audibleinstructions, a sound synthesizer, a speech synthesizer, a speaker, aheadphone, and/or an earplug speaker.
 45. A method for registration of aregistrant, wherein registrant information is stored in a registrationdatabase of a first computer, comprising: providing a registrationtemplate on a display associated with a second computer; enteringregistrant data into the registration template; capturing a locus-baseddigitized biometric signature of the registrant; generating a relationalcheck code representative of the locus-based digitized biometricsignature; communicating the registrant data and the capturedlocus-based digitized biometric signature and the relational check codefrom the second computer to the first computer; and storing registrantinformation including the registrant data and the captured locus-baseddigitized biometric signature and the relational check code in theregistration database of the first computer.
 46. The method of claim 45further comprising: capturing a locus-based digitized biometricsignature of an alleged registrant; communicating the capturedlocus-based digitized biometric signature of the alleged registrant tothe first computer; and comparing the captured locus-based digitizedbiometric signature of the alleged registrant to the capturedlocus-based digitized biometric signature of the registrant stored inthe registration database of the first computer for determining whetherthe alleged registrant is the registrant.
 47. The method of claim 46wherein said comparing the captured locus-based digitized biometricsignature of the alleged registrant to the captured locus-baseddigitized biometric signature of the registrant stored in theregistration database of the first computer includes displaying thecaptured locus-based digitized biometric signature of the allegedregistrant and/or the captured locus-based digitized biometric signatureof the registrant stored in the registration database of the firstcomputer.
 48. The method of claim 46 wherein said registration is forvoting, further comprising: authorizing an alleged registrant determinedto be the registrant to change the registrant information; and/orauthorizing an alleged registrant determined to be the registrant toreceive an absentee ballot; and/or authorizing an alleged registrantdetermined to be the registrant to vote; and/or authorizing an allegedregistrant not determined to be the registrant to vote provisionally;and/or not authorizing an alleged registrant determined not to be theregistrant to vote.
 49. The method of claim 45 wherein a givenregistrant has previously registered having provided an image digitizedsignature that is stored in the registration database of the firstcomputer, comprising: capturing a locus-based digitized biometricsignature of the given registrant; communicating the capturedlocus-based digitized biometric signature of the given registrant to thefirst computer; storing the image biometric signature of the givenregistrant in an archive database; and storing the captured locus-baseddigitized biometric signature of the given registrant in theregistration database of the first computer.
 50. The method of claim 45wherein said capturing a locus-based digitized biometric signature ofthe registrant includes capturing a locus-based digitized biometricsignature of the registrant.
 51. The method of claim 45 wherein saidcommunicating the registrant data and the captured locus-based digitizedbiometric signature from the second computer to the first computercomprises communicating via a network, an intranet and/or the internet.52. The method of claim 45 wherein said communicating the registrantdata and the captured locus-based digitized biometric signature from thesecond computer to the first computer comprises: encoding and/orencrypting the registrant data and the captured locus-based digitizedbiometric signature; and/or generating a relational check code valueindicative of the registrant data and the captured locus-based digitizedbiometric signature; and/or associating a date-time stamp with at leastone of the registrant data and the captured locus-based digitizedbiometric signature.
 53. A method for registering voters comprising:connecting to the Internet using a computer associated with atouch-sensitive device; logging onto a voter registration server via theInternet; downloading a voter registration template; entering voterinformation into the voter registration template and entering alocus-based digitized biometric signature via the touch-sensitivedevice; generating a relational check code representative of thelocus-based digitized biometric signature; communicating the enteredvoter information and the entered locus-based digitized biometricsignature and the relational check code to a voter registration server;receiving confirmation of voter registration according to thecommunicated entered voter information and the communicated enteredlocus-based digitized biometric signature.
 54. The method of claim 53further comprising providing a tangible record of the voter registrationtemplate including the voter information entered therein and/or arepresentation of the entered locus-based digitized biometric signature.55. The method of claim 53 wherein the touch-sensitive device includesone or more of a keyboard, a touch screen device, a resistive and/orinductive and/or pressure sensitive pad, a computer touch pad, a pocketPC, a Palmtop device, a hand-held device, a personal data assistant(PDA) device, and/or a Tablet PC.
 56. The method of claim 53 furthercomprising: connecting to the Internet for voting using a computerassociated with a touch-sensitive device; logging onto an electionserver via the Internet; entering voter registration information andentering a locus-based digitized biometric signature via thetouch-sensitive device; communicating the entered voter registrationinformation and the entered locus-based digitized biometric signature tothe election server for verifying registration to vote based on acomparison of at least the entered locus-based digitized biometricsignature; if registration to vote is verified, then downloading a voterballot template; entering voting information into the voter ballottemplate; communicating the entered voting information to the electionserver; and receiving confirmation of the entered voting information.57. The method of claim 56 wherein the touch-sensitive device includesone or more of a keyboard, a Braille keyboard, a keyboard having keyswith tactile features, a touch screen device, a resistive and/orinductive and/or pressure sensitive pad, a computer touch pad, a pocketPC, a Palmtop device, a hand-held device, a personal data assistant(PDA) device, and/or a Tablet PC.
 58. The method of claim 56 whereinsaid receiving confirmation includes displaying confirmation via adisplay associated with the touch-sensitive device and/or providing atangible conformation via a printer associated with the touch-sensitivedevice.
 59. The method of claim 53 further comprising: connecting to theInternet using a computer associated with a touch-sensitive device;logging onto the voter registration server via the Internet; enteringvoter registration information and entering a locus-based digitizedbiometric signature via the touch-sensitive device; communicating theentered voter registration information and the entered locus-baseddigitized biometric signature to the voter registration server forverifying registration to vote based on a comparison of at least theentered locus-based digitized biometric signature; if registration tovote is verified, then downloading a template for changing the voterregistration information; entering changes to the voter registrationinformation to the downloaded template; communicating the enteredchanges to the voter registration information to the voter registrationserver; and receiving confirmation of the entered changed voterregistration information.
 60. A computer-readable storage medium encodedwith computer instructions for registering voters comprising: means forcausing a computer to connect to the Internet wherein the computer isassociated with a touch-sensitive device; means for causing the computerto log onto a voter registration server via the Internet; means forcausing the computer to download a voter registration template; meansfor causing the computer to receive voter information entered into thevoter registration template and a locus-based digitized biometricsignature entered via the touch-sensitive device; means for causing thecomputer to generate a relational check code representative of thelocus-based digitized biometric signature; means for causing thecomputer to communicate the entered voter information and the enteredlocus-based digitized biometric signature and the relational check codeto a voter registration server; and means for causing the computer toreceive confirmation of voter registration according to the communicatedentered voter information and the communicated entered locus-baseddigitized biometric signature.
 61. The storage medium of claim 60further comprising means for causing the computer to provide a tangiblerecord of the voter registration template including the voterinformation entered therein and a representation of the enteredlocus-based digitized biometric signature.
 62. The storage medium ofclaim 60 further comprising: means for causing the computer to connectto the Internet for voting wherein the computer is associated with atouch-sensitive device; means for causing the computer to log onto anelection server via the Internet; means for causing the computer toreceive entered voter registration information and a locus-baseddigitized biometric signature via the touch-sensitive device; means forcausing the computer to communicate the entered voter registrationinformation and the entered locus-based digitized biometric signature tothe election server for verifying registration to vote based on acomparison of at least the entered locus-based digitized biometricsignature; if registration to vote is verified, means for causing thecomputer to then download a voter ballot template; means for causing thecomputer to receive voting information entered into the voter ballottemplate; means for causing the computer to communicate the enteredvoting information to the election server; and means for causing thecomputer to receive confirmation of the entered voting information. 63.The storage medium of claim 60 further comprising: means for causing thecomputer to connect to the Internet wherein the computer is associatedwith a touch-sensitive device; means for causing the computer to logonto the voter registration server via the Internet; means for causingthe computer to receive entered voter registration information and alocus-based digitized biometric signature via the touch-sensitivedevice; means for causing the computer to communicate the entered voterregistration information and the entered locus-based digitized biometricsignature to the voter registration server for verifying registration tovote based in a comparison of at least the entered locus-based digitizedbiometric signature; if registration to vote is verified, means forcausing the computer to then download a template for changing the voterregistration information; means for causing the computer to receivechanges to the voter registration information entered into the template;means for causing the computer to communicate the entered changes to thevoter registration information to the voter registration server; andmeans for causing the computer to receive confirmation of the enteredchanges to the voter registration information.
 64. A method forregistering registrants comprising: connecting to the Internet using acomputer associated with a touch-sensitive device; logging onto aregistration server via the Internet; downloading a registrationtemplate; entering registrant information into the registration templateand entering a locus-based digitized biometric signature via thetouch-sensitive device; generating a relational check coderepresentative of the locus-based digitized biometric signature;communicating the entered registrant information and the enteredlocus-based digitized biometric signature and the relational check codeto a registration server; receiving confirmation of registrationaccording to the communicated entered registrant information and thecommunicated entered locus-based digitized biometric signature.
 65. Themethod of claim 64 further comprising providing a tangible record of theregistration template including the registrant information enteredtherein and/or a representation of the entered locus-based digitizedbiometric signature.
 66. The method of claim 64 wherein thetouch-sensitive device includes one or more of a keyboard, a touchscreen device, a resistive and/or inductive and/or pressure sensitivepad, a computer touch pad, a pocket PC, a Palmtop device, a hand-helddevice, a personal data assistant (PDA) device, and/or a Tablet PC. 67.The method of claim 64 further comprising: connecting to the Internetfor conducting a transaction using a computer associated with atouch-sensitive device; logging onto a transaction server via theInternet; entering registration information and entering a locus-baseddigitized biometric signature via the touch-sensitive device;communicating the entered registration information and the enteredlocus-based digitized biometric signature to the transaction server forverifying registration based on a comparison of at least the enteredlocus-based digitized biometric signature; if registration is verified,then downloading a transaction template; entering transactioninformation into the transaction template; communicating the enteredtransaction information to the transaction server; and receivingconfirmation of the entered transaction information.
 68. The method ofclaim 67 wherein the touch-sensitive device includes one or more of akeyboard, a Braille keyboard, a keyboard having keys with tactilefeatures, a touch screen device, a resistive and/or inductive and/orpressure sensitive pad, a computer touch pad, a pocket PC, a Palmtopdevice, a hand-held device, a personal data assistant (PDA) device,and/or a Tablet PC.
 69. The method of claim 67 wherein said receivingconfirmation includes displaying confirmation via a display associatedwith the touch-sensitive device and/or providing a tangible confirmationvia a printer associated with the touch-sensitive device.
 70. The methodof claim 64 further comprising: connecting to the Internet forconducting a transaction using a computer associated with atouch-sensitive device; logging onto a transaction server via theInternet; entering registration information and entering a locus-baseddigitized biometric signature via the touch-sensitive device;communicating the entered registration information and the enteredlocus-based digitized biometric signature to the transaction server, forverifying registration based on a comparison of at least the enteredlocus-based digitized biometric signature; if registration verified,then downloading a template for changing the registration information;entering changes to the registration information into the template;communicating the entered changes to the registration information to thetransaction server; and receiving confirmation of the entered changes tothe registration information.